Tips for AP Physics from Experienced Students

In summary: I would either not understand the concept or I would get the answer wrong. I would then ask questions in class, and I would still not understand what was going on.I would recommend that you find a tutor or study group that you can trust and that you can be accountable to. I also think that it's helpful to have somebody who can guide you through the process and answer any questions that you may have.In summary, the best way to learn physics is to be diligent, have a study group, and to have a teacher who can help guide you.
  • #1
I_noscopedJFK
18
0
I'm going to be taking AP Physics next year, and I really want to get an A
(I'm going to be a senior, so in case my application gets deferred, I'll be able to improve my transcript).

I've only taken two AP classes; AP Psych and AP Computer Science, both of which I got an A in

Can you guys give me any tips? What did you find was the best way to stay organized? Which topics
did you find the easiest/most difficult? Any things that you would have done differently?

Most of you guys have probably taken this class a long time ago, but any help would be appreciated.
 
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  • #2


there's a good book to get by Tsokos called Physics for the IB Diploma that may be of interest to you for studying ahead of time or as an alternative resource for when you get stuck. The best piece of advice to know what you don't know and ask questions to fill the gaps before a test comes. Your first indicator is when you don't understand what's being taught and then that you can't do the homework. Make sure you find out why your homework isn't right. Be diligent physics can be counterintuitive. Also work with others and learn how they solve problems, look for elegant understandable solutions.

Use your mistakes to tell you what you don't know and go from there.

PS: I liked your thread title but being diligent is better than being a psychic in physics.
 
  • #3


jedishrfu said:
there's a good book to get by Tsokos called Physics for the IB Diploma that may be of interest to you for studying ahead of time or as an alternative resource for when you get stuck. The best piece of advice to know what you don't know and ask questions to fill the gaps before a test comes. Your first indicator is when you don't understand what's being taught and then that you can't do the homework. Make sure you find out why your homework isn't right. Be diligent physics can be counterintuitive. Also work with others and learn how they solve problems, look for elegant understandable solutions.

Use your mistakes to tell you what you don't know and go from there.

PS: I liked your thread title but being diligent is better than being a psychic in physics.

Thanks a lot!

tbh the title was a typo lol
 
  • #4


I'm actually taking AP Physics next year as well. From what I've heard, it's a difficult class (which I'm sure you're aware of).

A senior who I work with told me that the first quarter was probably the easiest out of them all for him (the Motions section) and that the rest (Heat and Waves, Electricity, Electromagnetism, and Atomic Physics) was difficult.

My school has two science teachers who are qualified to teach AP Physics, and apparently one is way better than the other. If you get a bad teacher, my guess is that it's better to rely on your schoolmates and to try and get together with them and study.

From my past AP class experience (I took AP European History this year, and will take AP Physics, Psychology, and Government next year), getting a study group of other people who are equally interested in the class who can hold each other accountable and study together works extremely well for the AP exam.

AP Physics, for me, is a 3 quarter course for a 4 quarter school year, and we take the exam (everybody does) in the 4th quarter. That means that you'll have to find time outside of school to study for a class that you aren't even in, which can be difficult. Having a group of people to get together with makes it that much easier.

Good luck!
 
  • #5


yes the teacher issue can be a problem unless you're a self leaner. Reading about Feynman might help too. He had a unique approach to physics that goes to the heart of the matter.
 
  • #6


jedishrfu said:
yes the teacher issue can be a problem unless you're a self leaner. Reading about Feynman might help too. He had a unique approach to physics that goes to the heart of the matter.

Would you mind elaborating on that? Are you saying that we should try to study and learn physics using the mindset that Feynman used to approach physics?

I've read his whole wiki page (except for the gibberish that's far beyond the intellect of a 16 year old who has yet to take a physics class), and don't remember anything mentioning him having a unique or better way to learn physics.
 
  • #7
The best thing to do is make sure you understand calculus beforehand and have a book (any that are not pretentious, really) that you actually read.

When I took AP physics, I lost on both regards. It basically happened due to my unwillingness to study a thing or do much homework. My teacher would assign 20 to 40 difficult (at the time) problems every two weeks with the answers posted (no solution). We would then shift papers around and have us grade each other on effort - you could tell he really didn't care about HW grade. Students would then write their answers on the board, a challenge problem tricking everyone almost always (i.e. no one wrote it on the board). So I would just copy garbage down and set it equal to the answer since I wanted to play video games.

I was in AP calculus mechanics, which used differentiation almost everywhere, without any calculus, and then I transitioned into electricity and magnetism while beginning calculus. So while I was learning the derivative, I was actively using integration. Since I didn't have the simple conceptual understandings of calculus and I didn't know a few simple rules such as u-sub, product rule, etc., it was really hard to grasp the physics. About the only thing I knew how to do was integrate and differentiate a polynomial, which for mechanics solved many problems (not the case for E&M! natural logs are everywhere!).

And we had two textbooks issued. Back then, I didn't feel like studying a thing, so I never cracked it open once. The effects were a puny 4 and 3 on the exams, no college credit, and a B and a C in the classes.

So in sum, you just have to know calculus, read the book at least once, perhaps rereading areas of confusion, and do semi-difficult and difficult problems. You will easily make an A and two 5s.

You can also begin studying by watching these videos: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-01-physics-i-classical-mechanics-fall-1999/

You can also work the problems my old AP physics teacher has on his website:
http://www.farraguttn.com/science/milligan/ap_physics.html

"objectives and homework" and "example problems" have many problems to work. If you can solve all of these problems, the AP exam and any test you take in HS will be very easy.
 
  • #8


AnTiFreeze3 said:
Would you mind elaborating on that? Are you saying that we should try to study and learn physics using the mindset that Feynman used to approach physics?

I've read his whole wiki page (except for the gibberish that's far beyond the intellect of a 16 year old who has yet to take a physics class), and don't remember anything mentioning him having a unique or better way to learn physics.

There are some Feynman interviews on the web where he talks about,what his father taught or how he learned things, and how he taught his kids. Reading the wiki won't help much there. Feynman's lectures to freshman are available too in book form and you can see how he frames his arguments to physics topics. They are expensive, challenging and different but bring out more of the problem than a typical teacher might. There's also reduced versions of the lectures called 'Six Easy Pieces' and 'Six Not So Easy Pieces'. Each book containing the best lectures of the freshman course for the interested layman.
 
  • #9
RoshanBBQ said:
The best thing to do is make sure you understand calculus beforehand and have a book (any that are not pretentious, really) that you actually read.

When I took AP physics, I lost on both regards. It basically happened due to my unwillingness to study a thing or do much homework. My teacher would assign 20 to 40 difficult (at the time) problems every two weeks with the answers posted (no solution). We would then shift papers around and have us grade each other on effort - you could tell he really didn't care about HW grade. Students would then write their answers on the board, a challenge problem tricking everyone almost always (i.e. no one wrote it on the board). So I would just copy garbage down and set it equal to the answer since I wanted to play video games.

I was in AP calculus mechanics, which used differentiation almost everywhere, without any calculus, and then I transitioned into electricity and magnetism while beginning calculus. So while I was learning the derivative, I was actively using integration. Since I didn't have the simple conceptual understandings of calculus and I didn't know a few simple rules such as u-sub, product rule, etc., it was really hard to grasp the physics. About the only thing I knew how to do was integrate and differentiate a polynomial, which for mechanics solved many problems (not the case for E&M! natural logs are everywhere!).

And we had two textbooks issued. Back then, I didn't feel like studying a thing, so I never cracked it open once. The effects were a puny 4 and 3 on the exams, no college credit, and a B and a C in the classes.

So in sum, you just have to know calculus, read the book at least once, perhaps rereading areas of confusion, and do semi-difficult and difficult problems. You will easily make an A and two 5s.

You can also begin studying by watching these videos: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-01-physics-i-classical-mechanics-fall-1999/

You can also work the problems my old AP physics teacher has on his website:
http://www.farraguttn.com/science/milligan/ap_physics.html

"objectives and homework" and "example problems" have many problems to work. If you can solve all of these problems, the AP exam and any test you take in HS will be very easy.

But there's only one AP exam, right? I know that you can take it more than once if you want to, but it's all under one exam.
 
  • #10


AnTiFreeze3 said:
But there's only one AP exam, right? I know that you can take it more than once if you want to, but it's all under one exam.
There are three, count 'em, three, different AP Physics courses, and each has a separate exam.

"Physics B" is a full-year course that does not use calculus. It also covers a a few topics not covered in the two Physics C classes (for example, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, plus some atomic, quantum, and nuclear physics).

"Physics C: Mechanics" is a one-semester course using calculus.

"Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism" is a one-semester course using calculus, and typically taken after C: Mechanics.

The two Physics C classes are more appropriate for somebody planning to major in physics or engineering, as calculus is an important part of learning these subjects.

The Physics B class is considered more appropriate for somebody planning to major in biology or other life sciences.

If you take Physics B, you do not have to worry about knowing calculus. But you do have to worry about learning extra topics that can be challenging conceptually.

Also, your school might not offer all three options, so you should ask your AP physics teacher what your school does.

p.s. the exams for the C classes are each half the length of the 3-hour exam for the B class.
 
  • #11


Redbelly98 said:
There are three, count 'em, three, different AP Physics courses, and each has a separate exam...

At my high school, we have block classes (as in I only have 4 classes a quarter, but each class is 1hr 30min long as opposed to having eight 45min classes a quarter), so I'm taking all 3 of the AP courses available in one year. I think that's where the confusion of there only being one test comes from, especially since most other AP courses only have one test.
 
  • #12
Yes, which AP Physics class are you planning to take?

I am now taking the C course, and I would have to say it is VERY challenging. If you thought regular physics was easy, you might find C hard.

You will need to learn that physics is NOT about learning formulas, it is about understanding the concepts. Just knowing that F=ma and F=mv2/r is not going to save you.

You will need to spend a lot of time studying. At least a couple hours a week.

I like the Halliday/Resnick book. I also use the Serway/Jewett book, but that is not as clear at times. It is nice to get a different perspective, however. Many other people like University Physics or other books.
 
  • #13
Scintillation said:
Yes, which AP Physics class are you planning to take?

I am now taking the C course, and I would have to say it is VERY challenging. If you thought regular physics was easy, you might find C hard.

You will need to learn that physics is NOT about learning formulas, it is about understanding the concepts. Just knowing that F=ma and F=mv2/r is not going to save you.

You will need to spend a lot of time studying. At least a couple hours a week.

I like the Halliday/Resnick book. I also use the Serway/Jewett book, but that is not as clear at times. It is nice to get a different perspective, however. Many other people like University Physics or other books.

I'm taking AP Physics C, both Mechanics & Electricity/Magnetism (thanks Redbelly98, I had no idea there were different semesters, or that there was even an AP Physics B option).

We got our textbooks recently so that we can finish the first 3 chapters before school starts, and it looks like it's the University Physics book you mentioned.

So do you recommend I buy the 'Halliday/Resnick book' as well?

p.s. Thanks RoshanBBQ for the MIT link! I definitely plan on using it
 
  • #14
The way to do well in physics is to actually understand the concepts by applying them to various problems. Do lots of practice problems.
 

1. What are some general tips for studying for AP Physics?

Some general tips for studying for AP Physics include reviewing class notes regularly, practicing problems and equations, and seeking help from teachers or classmates when needed. It is also important to have a solid understanding of mathematical concepts and be familiar with the format of the AP Physics exam.

2. How can I improve my problem-solving skills in AP Physics?

One way to improve problem-solving skills in AP Physics is to practice solving a variety of problems, including both conceptual and mathematical ones. It can also be helpful to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts and to use visual aids or diagrams to better understand the problem.

3. What resources do you recommend for studying AP Physics?

Some recommended resources for studying AP Physics include textbooks, online resources such as Khan Academy or Crash Course, and review books specifically designed for the AP Physics exam. It can also be beneficial to use flashcards or create study guides for key concepts.

4. How can I prepare for the AP Physics exam?

To prepare for the AP Physics exam, it is important to review class notes and practice problems regularly. It can also be helpful to take practice exams to familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions that will be on the actual exam. Additionally, make sure to get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast on the day of the exam.

5. What are some common mistakes to avoid in AP Physics?

Some common mistakes to avoid in AP Physics include not fully understanding the concepts and equations, rushing through problems without fully understanding them, and not showing all of your work when solving problems. It is also important to read and interpret questions carefully to avoid making careless mistakes.

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